The Larry Sanders Show

The comedy is on point 90% of the time. The characters are believably insane. The stories are understandable and to the point. The series maintains it's quality (albeit it does get kind of dark in the last season or two). Really a fun watch for the incompetence and insecurities on display. Easy to watch as a main focus and passable for background (you will miss much of the performance, there are a surprisingly large amount of site gags). Recommend to really anyone.

Avant-garde and iconic in many ways, the Larry sanders show paved the way for later tv comedies like The Office, 30 rock, etc.

The show is about... well, a show. The viewer get a behind the scenes look into show business and the world of Hollywood in the 90s. It's very topical due to the nature of it being a talk show using real guests, but it only ads to the realness of it.

Not quite a mockumentary (the 4th wall is never broken) and seemingly mostly scripted with streaks of improv and natural, overlapping dialogue, the writing at times comes off as intentionally 'regular' before being unexpectedly whipped in a direction of authenticity and cynicism.

The show is mostly carried by the characters of Larry sanders (Gary shandling), Arty the producer (Rip Torn) and Hank Kingsley (Jeffrey tambor) as well as a talented and funny supporting cast.

Hank Kingsley may be the funniest TV character in all of television... And I mean that as no exaggeration. I have never laughed out loud at a singular character more than any other. Out of all the characters he somehow feels the most real, and is somehow so likable despite being such a despicable person. A legendary performance by Jeffrey tambor.

This show is a must see for any comedy aficionado.

Larry Sanders has a broad range of humor. When on camera, the humor comes from how unfunny these characters actually are in front of the camera and how funny the audience finds it. Anyone who watches late night talk shows can relate to the "mock show" portion of each show. The behind the scenes, which makes up most of each episode relies on the situations as well as the dialogue which is usually very funny and well written, like something that would actually be said.

The characters were all very different and well written. Larry Sanders, played subtly and brilliantly by Gary Shandling. Larry is always smiling, whether he's happy or not. He's self centered, but not too much of a jerk. His manager Artie (Rip Torn) is more over the top rude and loud, but he's not an unbelievable character. Then there's Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) who plays second banana to Larry and the talk show, but on this show, often steals the episodes, taking many of the main plot lines, and he is hilarious as the alternate universe Ed MacMahon. Along with these three, there are many other less important characters, all very funny.

Overall, Larry Sanders was usually hysterical, but when not, it was still one of the most brilliant shows on television.

The award winning Larry Sanders show is subtle genius. Brilliantly written, superbly acted and hilarious, it took the documentary style comedy of Spinal Tap and re-tuned it to define a new sitcom style that inspired many other shows including Brit comedy The Office.

It ran alongside Sienfeld during the 90s but seems to have been overlooked by the mainstream and is in danger of slipping into obscurity.

The series follows the days in the lives of everybody involved in the production of a popular late night American talk show. The action centers around the three main characters, Larry Sanders the star and host of the show, Rip Torn's hilarious producer, Artie and the wonderful Hank Kingsley, Larry's sidekick.

The action is split into two styles, the behind the scenes docu-drama and the actual broadcast talk show. The two formats cleverly cut to tell the story of the characters. I don't know how they do it but the show is subtle and understated but at the same time fast moving and in your face.

I haven't seen the American version of The Office yet, but I strongly suggest that you don't even bother with it - just watch this instead. There are at least 7 or 8 series of it and you have to watch them in sequence too, because the stories cleverly develop and come to almost apocalyptic climaxes.

Do it!

Sufficiently skewers the late-night circuit. The most important names in 21st century comedy were on this show. Forget Seinfeld, this was the funniest show on TV of its time, because it felt so real. Can Garry Shandling ever do another show after this? He may have shot his career in the foot after exposing the true demons that run in entertainment circles. Devastatingly funny and will be influential to many. One of a kind. "I hate you, I hate my audience, I hate this network, I hate this job, I hate myself. So, your show is on Tuesdays at 8:30 on ABC, right? We'll be right back. Stay tuned."